FireRite were asked by Pobl to attend a site in Swansea of significant risk and meet the Service Support Worker on site.
Tracey Coles, the Fire Detection and Alarm Design Consultant, was tasked with this Project due to her technical relationship with Pobl's Senior Fire Advisor.
Access and Safety Issues
Urgency met obstacles as safety concerns delayed, highlighting the importance of fire risk complianceThe building is set over three floors, split level on the side of a hill, consisting of Commercial premises at street level and two upper floors consisting of three bedsits and two flats. The rear extension of the second floor includes a further two bedsits, each with their own access.
The Commercial premises are not owned by POBL, and there had been some prior discord due to other Contractors blocking their access and parking on privately owned ground.Due to the urgency of the Project, the Housing Association and Scheme Managers were desperate to house a number of Tenants who were either without shelter or what the scheme described as “sofa-hopping at friends”.
The Tenants were not permitted to move in following the fire risk assessment and its actions, specifically, the fire alarm system did not meet the criteria set by the risk assessment.
Prioritizing Resident Safety
On arrival there was only one Resident who had been given Notice on Acquisition of the building, although the new occupants were waiting in hostel-type premises, desperate to move in. All of their belongings had been moved in yet they were prevented from doing so until the building had been signed off by POBL Fire Safety.
Tracey was asked to cover each residence with multi sensors and add monitoring via an Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC) for Fire Rescue service response, as there is no "stay put policy" due to the Residents requiring support.
Managing Timelines
Tracey specified a system as per BS5839-1 2017 and on receipt of order, handed over to Luke Williams FireRite Project Manager. Due to the urgency, the Project was receiving a fair amount of attention and pressure to deliver with daily calls from the Senior Pobl Management requesting attendance and completion as soon as practical.
Project Delivery
Due the fact that FireRite had a programmed lead time of 7-8 weeks, plus the fact that Tenants were waiting to move in, Luke ordered the kit and attended the next day to start the Project himself.
We had to discuss and educate the current Resident in order to provide access, explaining the mutual benefit to her safety with the additional Life Safety Coverage offered with the new system.
In addition, we were asked to install a heat detector in the Commercial premises in the absence of a Compartmentation Survey. Corey Bale (Lead Engineer) expertly managed this dialogue with the Third Party who agreed and with minimal disruption.
Swift Fire Safety Installation
At short notice Luke managed to source an inhouse team of Installers, including himself to begin installing the following:
- Additional detection in the flats and communal areas
- The new fire alarm panel
- Additional sounder circuit
- Dual com connected to the Alarm Receiving Centre (ARC)
FireRite Delivers on Time
Except for some further investigation with regards to the existing AOV not working, FireRite managed to complete all the work within three days and were happy to inform the Housing Association Pobl that they could start moving the Tenants in. We returned just as the Tenants were moving their valuables into their flats to re-enable the AOV and provide system training to the scheme workers.
Project with Purpose
It was a pleasure to be a part of a Project that meant so much to so many people. As a Project Manager overseeing installation of fire alarms on a weekly basis, it forms part of my job and that of the Engineers.
The outcome is always the same and we move onto the next job, however, this Project meant that we had a small hand in helping some vulnerable young people have a little place they can call their own.
